Automatic switch.



PATENTED JUNE 11, 1907.

G. MATTHEWS.

AUTOMATIC SWITCH.

APPLICATION FILED NOV.2,1906.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1 [/VVE/VTOR WITNESS Alfomeyr);

PATENTED JUNE 11, 1907.

G. MATTHEWS. AUTOMATIC SWITCH.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 2,1906.

WITNESSES:

@NITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

AUTOMATIC SWITCH.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 11, 1907'.

Application filed ber 2,1906. $erial No. 341,775.

To a whom it int/ 1 concern.-

Be it known that I, GEORGE Mivr'rninvs, a citizen of the United States, residing at Gran ville, in the county of Licking and State of hio, have invented new and useful Improvements in Automatic Switches, of which the following is a specification.

This invention is an automatic safety switch for railways, and is provided with means actuated by a train to close the switch when open, by the approach of a train toward the same.

The object of the invention is to produce an improved device of the kind, an important feature of which is that when the switch is closed the trip mechanism which is actuated by the train is moved down or out of action, but lifts into place for action whenever the switch is opened.

Speaking genera lly, the device comprises a box which is set in a base plate and which is adapted to be moved back and forth by a switch lever. Slidably mounted .in this box is the switch rod, connected to the switch points. The box carries a latch, and normally the box and switch rod are locked together by the latch so that when the former is moved by the switch lever the latter is also moved. The trip device is connected to the latch and operates by contact with the en gine wheels to release said latch, allowing a spring to pull the rod and close the switch.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1. is a plan view thereof. Fig. 2 is a side elevation. Fig. 3 is a section on the line 3--3 of Fig. 1. Fig. i is a sectional view on the line 4-4 of Fig. 1. Fig. 5 is a view showing the track in section on the line 5-5, and showing the switch stand and associated parts in elevation.

Referring specifically to the drawings, 6 indicates the main track rails, 7 the side track rails, and 8 the switch points which are movable in the usual manner. The switch points are connected by a link i), to a switch rod 10 which is squared and adapted to slide lengthwise in a boxing 11. The extreme outer end of the switch rod is round and threaded as at 12 to receive a nut 13 which holds a spring 14 in compression against the end of the boxing 11, the spring being coiled around the switch rod. The rod also has in its upper side, within the boxing, a notch 15 which is adapted to receive the lower end of a latch pin 16 which works vertically through the top of the boxing and through a bracket 17 thereon. A spring 18, coiled around the latch pin between the bracket 17 and a collar 16 on the pin, holds the pin in engagement in the notch. The latch pin is connected by a pair of links 19 to the forks 20 on one arm of a lever 21 which is fulcrumed at 22 to suitable brackets 23. The links '19 are pivotally connected to the said parts, allowing a swinging motion which permits the boxing and switch rod to be manually operated, as hereinafter described. The arm of the lever 21 opposite to the branches 20 is connected at its end by alink 24 to a crank arm 25projecting from the shaft 26 on which is mounted a sprocket wheel 27, the whole being supported by a suitable l raring fixture 28 mounted on one of the ties. The sprocket wheel 27 receives one end of a crossed belt 29, the other end of which extends around the sprocket wheel 30 which is mounted on a fixture 31 secured to one of the track ties a sufficient distance in front of the switch to allow time for the automatic devices to operate before the train reaches the switch. The wheel 31 carries a crank arm 32 which is connected by a link33 to a trip plate 34 which is pivoted at 35 to a plate 36 fixed to the ties. The trip plate 3-lextends under the adjacent rail and has a flange 37 which, when the trip plate is lifted, projects above the head of the rail in position to be struck by the wheel of the engine or car The switch stand 38 has. the usual hand lever 39, the lower end of the shaft 40 of which has an arm ll which projects between two rollcrs 42 mounted on top of the box ll, under a bracket 43. The boxing 11 is mounted to slide in a channel plate 44 'secured to the long tics 4:3, and this plate also supports the stand, and a housing 46 over the latch devices.

in o cration, the boxing H and se itch rod 10 are normally locked together by the latch pin, and cons& qurntly maybe manually operatid by means of the switch lever which shifts the box one way or the other, as the snitch is oprntd or closed, the snitch rod i traveling with the box. \Vhen the switch is l thronn open the boxing advances toward the tr: as shown in Fig. l of the drawings. and the effect of this is to swing tin links It) to, or toward, a vertical position, and this wii c-(piriitly drprrssrs the ouli-r or forked end of th ;:'ver 2i and lifts the opposite end 1 thereof, which by mrans of the connection shown turns the wheels 27 and 30 and lifts the trip plate 34.- to set or upper position. If, now, a train approach the switch, the wheel will strike the flange 37 and depress the trip plate which will turn the wheels 27 and 30 in opposite directions and pull down the inner end of the lever 21, thereby lifting the forked arm and lifting the pin 16 out of the notch 15. This unlocks the switch rod 10 from the boxing l1, and, the spring 14 being in compression, the itch rod is thereby shifted or moved outwardly in the box, drawing with it the switch points and closing the switch, so as to leave the main track clear. \Vhen the switch is closed the movement outwardly of the box 11 causes the links 19 to swing up toward the horizontal, having the effect of lifting the forked end of the lever 21 and lowering the opposite end which by the chain and sprocket and other connections shown allows the trip plate 34 to drop to the lower position, so that when the switch is closed, the trip is out of operation and is not touched by the car wheel. It will be seen that when the open switch is tripped and springs closed it stays closed until re-opened by hand, which is done by throwing the switch lever and moving the boxing 11 so that the pin 16 can spring into the notch 15.

Obviously various changes may be made within the scope of the invention; particularly the kind of switch stand or lever used is immaterial, since the parts invented by me are capable of application to almost all kinds of switch stands.

I claim:

1. In a switch, the combination with a switch lever, of a base plate, a boxing slidable thereon and having a pair of rollers thereon between which an arm of the lever extends, a switch rod extending through and slid able in the boxing, a spring coiled around the s itch rod and bearing against the boxing and tending to shift the rod and close the switch, a latch carried by the boxing and engaging the switch rod to prevent relative movement thereof, and car-actuated means to release the latch.

2. In a switch, the combination of a notched switch rod, a boxing slid able on the rod, a switch lever connected to the boxing, a latch pin carried by the boxing and arranged to engage in the notch to lock the rod and boxing together, a spring between the boxing and rod, under compression when the boxing and rod are locked together and adapted to shift the rod in the boxing and close the switch when the latch is relc ased, a latch lever pivoted beside the boxing, a swinging link connecting the lever and the pin and adapted to release the pin when the lever is turned and to turn the lever when the switch opened, and a car-actuated trip connected. to the lever and adapted to release the pin.

3. In a switch, the combination of a switch point and rod, a switch lever, connections between the rod and lever including a latch pin which is movable laterally with the rod, and perpendicularly with respect thereto to connect or disconnect said rod and s vitch lever, a car-actuated trip, a lever connected to the trip, and a swinging link connecting the lever and pin and extending at an angle to the former and adapted to rock the same when the rod is shifted.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witness s.

GEORGE MATTHEWVS.

Witnesses:

C. E. GoonELL, T. G. BAKER. 

